


It Could Be Worse

by Halunygin



Series: Pride Anthology [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Muggle, Attempt at Humor, I'm Sorry, Intersex, Mentions of Cancer, the word boobs is said a lot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2019-04-18 20:22:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14221041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Halunygin/pseuds/Halunygin
Summary: Blaise feels down about his condition, but a little girl puts things in perspective.





	It Could Be Worse

Blaise winced into the cushion of the cot at the slowly becoming familiar prick of the needle piercing his flesh.

"Just breathe, it'll be over soon," the nurse said soothingly.

_That's easy for you to say, you're not the one with a huge needle of hormones in your arse_ , Blaise almost growled, but it wouldn't do to snap at the needle wielder.

"There, you're good for another month," the nurse chirped, peeling off his gloves. "To schedule your next visit-"

"I know where it is," Blaise sighed, sliding off the cot and pulling up his trousers. He grabbed his bag before exiting the exam room. He had been to the small scale hospital three times before. Three sessions consisting of "Have you noticed any changes?" "No, not really", and "Don't worry, you will soon."

But would he, he wondered, pulling his jacket tighter around his torso. The binder his mother had gotten for him did little to hide the breasts that had developed several months ago, and his hips, though slowly shrinking, were still wider than a teenage boy's should be.

"All done, Mr. Zabini?" the scheduling receptionist asked with a cheerful smile. Blaise nodded with a grimace.

"I need to make another appointment around a month from now."

The blonde woman nodded just as the phone rang, and she picked it up. Knowing this could take a while and not really having anywhere to be, Blaise sat in a nearby waiting area. Luckily, he had a book in his bag that he was pretty behind on.

"Are you a girl?"

Blaise lowered his book to see a little girl no more than eight years old in brown pigtails staring at him. He pulled his jacket tighter and said, "No, I'm not."

"I'm Eliza," the girl stuck her hand out and Blaise shook it, despite himself. "If you're not a girl, why do you have boobs?"

"Where are your parents?" Blaise asked, avoiding the question. Did kids this age know the word boobs? He certainly hadn't.

"My daddy's getting food, and my mummy is getting treated."

Blaise sighed. The kid was obviously worried about her mother and didn't like being left alone with nobody to talk to. He patted the chair beside him, and Eliza hopped up there.

"What's your mum in here for?"

"Chemo," she replied simply. "She doesn't like me and daddy to be there. It makes her puke."

Blaise winced. Cancer? How was he supposed to put a positive spin on that?

"That does suck, but you know, sometimes medicine makes you sicker so that it's easier to make you better."

Eliza nodded thoughtfully, as if she were taking his words into careful consideration, and Blaise let out a sigh of relief.

"What about you?"

"Hmm?"

"Why are you here?" she asked. "Does it have to do with your boobs?"

Blaise crossed his arms. "I'd appreciate it if you lowered your voice when asking personal questions like that."

Eliza bit her lip sheepishly. "Sorry," she whispered. "But boys don't normally have boobs, so why do you?"

Blaise picked up his backpack and leaned over it. "It's difficult to explain, but the bottom line is my body doesn't have all the proper things that make me a boy, so a doctor needs to give me them on a regular basis. And with time, my boobs will go away."

He wondered if Eliza had understood his explanation, or if she had even been listening all the way through. She tapped her chin.

"Does your medicine make you sick?" she asked.

"Sometimes," Blaise replied.

"Like chemo."

Though he didn't want to compare his hormone injections to chemotherapy, Blaise nodded.

"Oh, Daddy's back," Eliza said, standing up in her chair and waving. "I have to go."

Blaise nodded. "It was nice talking to you. I hope your mom gets better soon."

He was surprised when the girl hugged him.

"I know you want your boobs gone, but you shouldn't be ashamed of them," she whispered. "Mummy's not ashamed of her bald head."

Blaise felt a lump rise in his throat. "And she shouldn't. Thank you."

As he watched Eliza leave, the receptionist called his name.

"Sorry about the wait, Mr. Zabini. Is the 20th of next month good for you?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, that's fine," Blaise said distractedly.

As he left the hospital and the smell of spring enveloped him, Blaise put his jacket away. If people stared at him, well, that was their problem, not his. It could be worse.

**Author's Note:**

> Blaise has Klinefelter's syndrome in this, which is a chromosomal abnormality where a male is born with an extra X chromosome. I'm hardly an expert, but that's what I had in mind while writing this.


End file.
